Biography

Samad Vurgun was born on March 21, 1906, in Salahly village of Qazakh Uyezd, at present Qazakh Rayon of Azerbaijan Republic. Samad’s mother died when he was 6 years old and he was in charge of his father and Ayshe khanim-grandmother from mother’s side. After graduating from school his family moved to Qazakh and Samad entered teacher’s seminary of Qazakh with his elder brother Mekhdikhan Vekilov (1902–1975). In 1922, their father and a year later their grandmother had died and concern for the future poet and his brother passed to their cousin Khangizi Vekilova. He taught literature at village schools of Qazakh, Ganja and Quba. He studied at Moscow State University for 2 years (1929–1930) and then continued his education at Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute.[2]

In 1945, he was chosen a full member of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR and deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union of the 2nd and 4th convocations (1946–1956).

Samad Vurgun died on May 27, 1956 and was buried in Baku, in the Alley of Honor.

Works

His first work - a poem “Appeal to the youth” was published in 1925, in “Yeni Fikir” (New Thought) newspaper in Tiflis. It was written as a graduation work from seminary. The poet’s first book – "Şairin andı" (Poet’s oath) was published in 1930. The Great Patriotic War was of the utmost importance in Samad Vurgun's life. More than 60 poems, including “Bakının dastanı” (Legend of Baku) were written during the wartime. During these years Samad Vurgun glory had expanded. Leaflets with “To partisans of Ukraine” poem were thrown from airplane to forests in Ukraine to support partisans. Samad Vurgun’s “Ananın öyüdü” (Farewell speech of mother) poem received the highest mark in the contest of the best antiwar poem in the USA, in 1943. The poem was chosen as one of the 20 best poems of the world literature of war theme in New York and spread among soldiers. In the same year "House of Intellectuals named after Fuzûlî" for holding events and meetings with fighting soldiers was opened with his initiative in Baku.[3]